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Law enforcement sources have identified James Holmes, 24, as the suspect in a mass shooting at a movie theater screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in the Denver suburb of Aurora, July 20, 2012. The University of Colorado Denver|Aschutz Medical Campus confirmed that Holmes was in the process of withdrawing from UC Denver's graduate program in neurosciences.

He rigged his apartment with what authorities fear are deadly explosives and blared techno music from his stereo in what’s believed to be an attempt to invite more devastation when the door was opened.

From what little is known about the suspect, it appears that he was a study in contrast — a smart and quiet man who authorities say harbored a deadly plan.

In high school the boy known as “Jimmy” quit the soccer team after his sophomore year and focused mostly on his studies.

He earned a degree in neuroscience with highest honors from the University of California Riverside in 2010 but didn’t walk in his commencement ceremony.

Oates said Holmes, who did not resist when he was arrested outside the theater minutes after the shooting, acted alone.

Oates declined to discuss what motive, if any, Holmes gave police.

One hint could be in what New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters Friday, saying that Holmes had reportedly identified himself as Batman’s arch-enemy “The Joker” to authorities.

“He had his hair painted red, he said he was ‘The Joker,’ obviously the ‘enemy’ of Batman,” Kelly said at a news conference, addressing the increased security at New York City theaters.

Oates, who said he talked with Kelly early Friday, would not confirm that report. But residents of Holmes’ apartment building said police who came to their doors immediately after the shooting asked if they had seen a man with his hair dyed red or pink.

Information compiled from multiple sources shows the planning for the attack was methodical, went back months and coincided with Holmes’ withdrawal from a graduate program in neuroscience at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In May, he began buying guns and apparently stocking up on the body armor that police said he wore during the shooting: a ballistic helmet and vest, ballistic leggings, throat and groin protector, a gas mask and black tactical gloves.

Before he left for the movie theater he booby-trapped his apartment, attaching several trip wires to 1-liter plastic bottles containing an unknown substance in a manner so sophisticated Oates said it could take days to disarm.

It’s so “vexing” that by nightfall Friday officers had still not risked entering the apartment, instead using cameras to probe.

“I personally have never seen anything like what the pictures show us in there,” Oates said.

Holmes’ parents, who live in San Diego, issued a statement saying the family is cooperating with authorities. His father flew to Denver Friday afternoon. His mother remained at the family home, neighbors said.

“Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the families and friends of those involved,” they said. “We are still trying to process this information and we appreciate that people will respect our privacy.”

Holmes grew up in San Diego, graduating from Westview High School in 2006. He then went on to the University of California Riverside, where Chancellor Timothy White said Holmes distinguished himself, graduating with highest honors.

“Academically, he was the top of the top,” White said.

The Mai family has lived next door to the Holmes family for abut 15 years on a middle-class street in suburban San Diego.

Christine Mai, 17, said she never saw Jimmy Holmes act out violently or with a weapon, nor did she see him socializing with friends or bringing girlfriends home.

The Holmes family had Christmas parties in their front yard and often exchanged gifts with the Mais, she said. Last year, they shared hot apple cider in the front yard with other neighbors.

“He seemed like a nice guy,” she said. “His mother used to tell us he was a good son.”

After graduation from UCR, Holmes took a part-time job at a nearby McDonald’s.

“I felt bad for him because he studied so hard,” Mai said. “My brother said he looked kind of down; he seemed depressed.”

Julie Adams said her son played soccer with Holmes at Westview High. Holmes played his freshman and sophomore years, she said.

While most of the other kids — her son Taylor included — played league soccer and continued the sport throughout high school, Holmes wasn’t as involved, she said.

“I could tell you a lot about every single kid on that team except for him,” Adams said. “He was more aloof.”

She was shocked to discover helicopters circling her San Diego neighborhood because of Holmes’ alleged rampage.

“Taylor remembers playing soccer with him. He said he was quiet, reserved and a respectful kid,” Adams said.

According to her son’s yearbook, Holmes also ran cross country as a freshman but did not continue the sport.

Holmes came to Colorado in May 2011 and started in CU’s neuroscience program a month later. But by last month, he was in the process of withdrawing, university spokeswoman Jacque Montgomery said Friday.

In an e-mail message to members of the campus community, Doug Abraham, chief of police for the university, said Holmes’ access to campus buildings was terminated while his withdrawal was being processed.

He said officials do not believe Holmes has been on campus since then, but authorities evacuated several research buildings as a precautionary measure while they waited for bomb-sniffing dogs to search buildings Friday afternoon.

In an application Holmes submitted for a different apartment early last year, he described himself as a “quiet and easy-going” student. Other tenants in his building — which is reserved for students, faculty and staff of the medical campus — described him as a recluse.

Kaitlyn Fonzi, a 20-year-old biology student at University of Colorado Denver who lives in an apartment below Holmes’ said she heard techno music blasting from Holmes apartment around midnight.

Another tenant said residents called 9-1-1 about the racket.

Fonzi went upstairs and knocked on the door. When no one answered, she put her hand on the knob and realized the door was unlocked.